JP2024010396A - Water softener and washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water softener that can stably generate recycled water with an optimal concentration for recycling.

SOLUTION: A water softener includes: a hardness component remover 3 that accommodates an ion exchange resin 31, a saturated recycled water generation container 4 that generates saturated recycled water, a control device 12 that executes a regeneration process that regenerates an ion exchange resin 31, and the like. The hardness component remover 3 has a downstream buffer space 33 and an upstream buffer space 34. The control device 12 starts drainage from the hardness component remover 3 when the regenerative process is executed, and injects a predetermined saturated recycled water with a predetermined amount of water remaining in the downstream buffer space 33. Generated mixed water is passed through a resin filling chamber 32.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

COPYRIGHT: (C)2024,JPO&INPIT

Description

The technology disclosed relates to a water softening device suitable for washing machines and the like sold overseas.

In general, tap water in Europe and other countries is hard water containing many mineral components such as Ca and Mg, and has high hardness. In such areas, washing with tap water reduces the effectiveness of the detergent and reduces cleaning power.

Therefore, several washing machines that are equipped with a water softening device to soften tap water have been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).

In the drum-type washing machine of Patent Document 1, a detergent charging case and a water softening device are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction above a washing tub in a housing. In the water softening device disposed behind the detergent charging case, a salt case containing salt and an ion exchange resin case containing an ion exchange resin case are arranged one above the other. Salt water is generated by supplying tap water to the salt case, and the ion exchange resin is regenerated by flowing the salt water down.

It is known that salt water with a concentration of about 10% has the highest regeneration efficiency for regenerating ion exchange resins.

Therefore, in the water softening device of Patent Document 1, before regeneration, first water is poured into the salt case to generate highly concentrated saturated salt water. Immediately before regeneration, a second water injection is performed to dilute the salt water, producing salt water with a concentration of about 10%.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-87592

As mentioned above, salt water having a concentration of about 10% has the highest regeneration efficiency for regenerating the ion exchange resin. On the other hand, in the water softening device of Patent Document 1, water is poured into a salt case to generate highly concentrated saturated salt water, and water is added to dilute it to a concentration of about 10%. Thereafter, when the water level in the salt case reaches a predetermined height, the water automatically flows down from the salt case to the ion exchange resin case due to the action of the siphon.

That is, in the water softening device of Patent Document 1, salt is diluted in a salt case containing salt and adjusted to a final concentration. For this reason, even during the adjustment, salt dissolves, so the concentration is set to about 10%, taking into account the amount of salt dissolved.

However, the flow of salt water in the salt case occurs when the water level reaches a predetermined height, so if the amount of salt is large, the second water injection amount will be reduced. If the amount of salt is small, the second water injection amount will be increased. Depending on the amount of salt in the salt case, the salt concentration flowing down may vary.

Therefore, the main objective of the disclosed technology is to provide a water softening device that can stably generate recycled water with an optimal concentration for regenerating ion exchange resins, although it has a relatively simple configuration.

The disclosed technology relates to a water softening device that softens hard water supplied from a water supply source and supplies the softened water to a predetermined water supply destination.

The water softening device is disposed in a treated water route between the water supply source and the water supply destination, and is connected to a hardness component remover containing an ion exchange resin through a reclaimed water route. a saturated recycled water generation container that generates saturated recycled water in which a predetermined regenerating agent is dissolved at a saturated concentration, a first on-off valve provided in the recycled water path, and a drainage path that drains water from the hardness component remover. and a control device that executes a regeneration process that regenerates the ion exchange resin.

The hardness component remover includes a resin filling chamber filled with the ion exchange resin, a downstream buffer space communicating with both the downstream side of the treated water path and the reclaimed water path, and the upstream side of the treated water path. and an upstream buffer space communicating with both of the drainage path.

When executing the regeneration process, the control device opens the second on-off valve to start draining water from the hardness component remover, and when a predetermined amount of water remains in the downstream buffer space, By opening the first opening/closing valve, a predetermined amount of the saturated reclaimed water is injected from the saturated reclaimed water generation container into the downstream buffer space, and the mixed water of the saturated reclaimed water and residual water generated thereby is transferred to the resin filling Allow water to flow into the room.

That is, water (usually soft water) is stored in the downstream buffer space located downstream of the resin filling chamber. When this water softening device regenerates ion exchange resin, a portion of the water is drained and saturated regenerated water of a constant concentration is injected into it. The remaining water and saturated reclaimed water are mixed in the downstream buffer space to adjust to a predetermined concentration. Since the mixed water thus produced is passed through the resin filling chamber, the regenerant can be adjusted to a desired concentration relatively stably.

It is efficient because the generated mixed water of a predetermined concentration is passed through the resin filling chamber while being drained. Regeneration processing can be performed in a short time.

In the water softening device, the regenerating agent is sodium chloride, and the mixed water generated in the downstream buffer space is adjusted to have a concentration of sodium chloride of 10%. The downstream buffer space may be formed in a size that allows generation of the mixed water containing more than the amount of sodium chloride required to regenerate the ion exchange resin.

By doing so, it is possible to adjust the recycled water to have the optimal salt water concentration for regeneration and to contain an amount of salt corresponding to the amount of ion exchange resin filled into the resin filling chamber. Therefore, the ion exchange resin can be regenerated without excess or deficiency.

The water softening device may also be designed such that drainage from the hardness component remover is performed at a slower rate than the injection of the saturated reclaimed water into the hardness component remover.

This makes it possible to sufficiently mix the remaining soft water and the injected saturated reclaimed water in the downstream buffer space. Thereby, the recycled water can be adjusted to a relatively homogeneous concentration in the downstream buffer space. Therefore, water can be passed through the resin filling chamber at an optimal concentration.

In the water softening device, the first on-off valve may be opened at a timing when the amount of drainage from the hardness component remover becomes the same amount as the saturated reclaimed water injected into the downstream buffer space.

In this way, the downstream buffer space can be reduced to the minimum necessary size. Since ion exchange resins generally swell and contract, correspondingly small spaces are provided above and below the resin filling chamber of the hardness component remover. Therefore, the existing space can be used as a downstream buffer space, and the disclosed technology can be realized at low cost.

The water softening device may also be configured such that a cross-sectional area of the drainage path is larger than a cross-sectional area of the reclaimed water path.

Ion exchange resins are small spheres, generally less than 1 mm in diameter. Therefore, the upper and lower boundaries of the resin-filled chamber constituting the flow path are made of a fine mesh or the like to prevent the ion exchange resin from flowing out. If the boundaries are fine, the surface tension will be strong, which will affect drainage.

Therefore, in order to improve drainage performance, it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of the drainage channel is larger than the cross-sectional area of the reclaimed water path. This is because the flow rate of drainage depends more on the interface between the resin filling chamber and the upstream buffer space than on the cross-sectional area of the drainage channel. Thereby, the regenerated water containing Ca ions and Mg ions through exchange with the ion exchange resin is discharged without accumulating in the upstream buffer space, so that regeneration can be performed efficiently.

The water softening device is suitable for washing machines.

That is, the washing machine includes a casing provided with an input port, a tub that can store water housed in the casing, and a rotating washing machine that is housed in the tub with an interior communicating with the input port. a water supply path provided inside the housing for supplying water to the tub; and a drum installed in the water supply path that accommodates detergent and mixes the detergent with water during water supply and supplies the mixture to the tub. The detergent supply case may include a detergent supply case and the water softening device described above, and the hardness component remover may be installed at a location upstream of the detergent supply case in the water supply path.

This will soften the water that is mixed with the detergent. Therefore, the cleaning effect can be improved. Effective in Europe and other countries where tap water is hard.

In the washing machine, the saturated reclaimed water generation container has a regenerant storage chamber that stores the regenerant, and during execution of the washing process, water is supplied to the regenerant storage chamber containing the regenerant. The saturated reclaimed water may be generated by doing so.

In this way, there is no need to set aside time separate from the washing process to generate saturated reclaimed water. Therefore, regeneration processing can be performed efficiently.

The water softening device further includes a pool tank capable of storing water, a regeneration water supply route for supplying water from the pool tank to the regenerant storage chamber, and a third on-off valve provided in the regeneration water supply route. In this case, the saturated reclaimed water generation container is located above the hardness component remover, and the pool tank is installed inside the casing so as to be located above the saturated reclaimed water production container. , may also be used.

In this way, gravity can be used to transport water during the regeneration process. Since there is no need to use a pump or the like, the washing machine can be made at low cost.

In the washing machine, the control device also controls the amount of water supplied to the regenerant storage chamber when the regenerant is replenished into the regenerant storage chamber to generate the saturated regenerated water for the first time, compared to when the regenerant is generated thereafter. It is also possible to perform water supply increase control to increase the amount of water.

Although the details will be described later, it has been found that there is a difference in the regeneration level of the ion exchange resin immediately after replenishing the regenerant and after that. On the other hand, such problems can be suppressed by executing water supply increase control.

The washing machine may also include a small window provided in the casing, through which the inside of the saturated reclaimed water generating container can be visually recognized.

This allows you to easily check the remaining amount of regenerant.

The washing machine may also be configured such that the control device determines whether the regenerant storage chamber is replenished with the regenerant, based on a user's input.

This eliminates the need to install expensive sensors and the like, making it possible to realize an inexpensive washing machine.

When the water softening device further includes a sensor that detects the amount of the regenerant contained in the regenerant storage chamber, the control device controls the amount of the regenerant based on the signal input from the sensor. It may be determined whether the regenerating agent has been replenished into the agent storage chamber.

In this way, the replenishment timing of the regenerant can be automatically determined, which is highly convenient.

According to the water softening device to which the disclosed technology is applied, although it has a relatively simple configuration, it becomes possible to stably generate recycled water with an optimal concentration for regenerating ion exchange resin. By incorporating the water softening device into a washing machine, it is possible to suppress a decrease in detergency even when washing is performed using hard water, such as in Europe.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the basic configuration of a water softening device. It is a figure for explaining operation of a water softening device. It is a figure for explaining operation of a water softening device. 1 is an external view of a washing machine to which a water softening device is applied. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along arrow line AA in FIG. 4. FIG. It is a schematic diagram showing an internal structure of a washing machine. It is an external view of a hardness component remover. It is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of a hardness component remover. The ion exchange resin is partially illustrated. It is a schematic diagram showing a part of a washing machine. It is a graph showing the relationship between the regeneration level of an ion exchange resin and the number of regenerations after replenishment of a regenerant. 5 is a flowchart of control of playback processing.

Embodiments of the disclosed technology will be described below. However, the following description is essentially only an example.

<Water softener>
(basic configuration)
FIG. 1 shows an example of the basic configuration of a water softening device 1 to which the disclosed technology is applied. This water softening device 1 is preferably installed in a washing machine, a dishwasher, etc. used in Europe and the like.

This example shows a case where the water softening device 1 is assembled into a washing machine 50 (a specific example will be described later). The water softening device 1 includes a pool tank 2, a hardness component remover 3, a saturated recycled water generation container 4, a treated water path 5, a recycled water path 6, a drainage path 7, a water supply path for regeneration 8, a first on-off valve 9, and a second on-off valve. It is composed of a valve 10, a third on-off valve 11, a control device 12, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the saturated reclaimed water generation container 4 is located above the hardness component remover 3, and the pool tank 2 is located above the saturated reclaimed water production container 4. Thereby, this water softening device 1 uses the water pressure and gravity of tap water to convey water without using a pump or the like. Therefore, it is devised to reduce running costs and component costs, and to simplify the structure. However, depending on the specifications, a pump or the like may be used.

The water supply source of the water softening device 1 is a general water tap 100. By opening the tap 100, pressurized tap water is supplied. The tap water here is hard water. The water softening device 1 softens tap water supplied from the tap 100 and supplies it to a predetermined water supply destination (in this example, the detergent supply case 57).

A water supply valve 13 (a first water supply valve 13a and a second water supply valve 13b) is installed at the upstream end where tap water is supplied to the water softening device 1. By opening the water supply valve 13, tap water is supplied to the water softening device 1.

The pool tank 2 is made of a container capable of storing water, and is placed in the middle of the untreated water path 14. The untreated water path 14 supplies tap water to the tub 52 as water for rinsing. Therefore, tap water is stored in the pool tank 2. The pool tank 2 is open to the atmosphere.

The hardness component remover 3 accommodates an ion exchange resin 31 having a water softening function, and is disposed in the middle of the treated water path 5 provided between the water faucet 100 and the detergent supply case 57. A drainage path 7 and a reclaimed water path 6 are also connected to the hardness component remover 3.

The hardness component remover 3 has a predetermined case 30, which includes a resin filling chamber 32 filled with an ion exchange resin 31, and a downstream buffer space 33 defined above the resin filling chamber 32. and an upstream buffer space 34 defined below the resin filling chamber 32. In the case of the washing machine 50, the filling amount of the ion exchange resin 31 is, for example, about 130 ml (see "Washing machine 50" described later).

The downstream buffer space 33 communicates with both the downstream side of the treated water path 5 and the reclaimed water path 6. The downstream buffer space 33 is open to the atmosphere through both the downstream side of the treated water route 5 and the reclaimed water route 6.

The upstream buffer space 34 communicates with both the upstream side of the treated water path 5 and the drainage path 7. The downstream side of the drainage path 7 is connected to a drainage pipe 56b. A second on-off valve 10 is provided in the drainage path 7. Thereby, by opening the second on-off valve 10, water can be drained from the hardness component remover 3 to the drain pipe 56b.

The saturated recycled water generation container 4 has a regenerant storage chamber 40 that stores a regenerant. The main component of the regenerant is salt (sodium chloride). In Europe and other countries, granular salt having a size of several mm is commercially available as a regenerating agent. This regenerant is used here.

The saturated recycled water generation container 4 is connected to the hardness component remover 3 via a recycled water path 6. The saturated reclaimed water generation container 4 is also connected to the pool tank 2 via a reclaimed water supply path 8 . The third on-off valve 11 is provided in the regeneration water supply path 8 . Thereby, by opening the third on-off valve 11, tap water can be supplied from the pool tank 2 to the regenerant storage chamber 40.

During execution of the washing process, the third on-off valve 11 is opened and water is supplied to the regenerant storage chamber 40 containing the regenerant. After a predetermined period of time (for example, 3 minutes) has elapsed, recycled water (saturated recycled water) in which salt is dissolved at a saturation concentration (approximately 25%) is generated in the saturated recycled water generation container 4.

The inside of the regenerant storage chamber 40 is open to the atmosphere due to its structure. The first on-off valve 9 is provided in the reclaimed water path 6. Thereby, by opening the first on-off valve 9, saturated recycled water can be injected from the saturated recycled water generation container 4 into the hardness component remover 3 (downstream buffer space 33).

The control device 12 controls the opening and closing of each of the first on-off valve 9, the second on-off valve 10, and the third on-off valve 11, and executes processing for regenerating the ion exchange resin 31 (regeneration processing).

That is, when executing the regeneration process, the control device 12 starts draining water from the hardness component remover 3 by opening the second on-off valve 10. After doing so, the first on-off valve 9 is opened while a predetermined amount of soft water (hard water in some cases) remains in the downstream buffer space 33. By doing so, a predetermined amount of saturated reclaimed water is injected from the saturated reclaimed water generation container 4 into the downstream buffer space 33. The mixed water (adjusted recycled water) of saturated recycled water and soft water thus generated is made to flow through the resin filling chamber 32 .

The water softening device 1 is configured so that the adjusted recycled water has a salt concentration that is most excellent in regeneration efficiency, that is, 10%. Note that 10% here is the target value of the salt concentration. The salt concentration of the adjusted reclaimed water actually produced is about 10%.

The downstream buffer space 33 is formed in a size that can generate adjusted regenerated water containing more salt than is required for regenerating the ion exchange resin 31 .

That is, in order to regenerate the ion exchange resin 31 in just the right amount, 80 g or more and 150 g or less of salt is required for 1 L of the ion exchange resin 31 per regeneration treatment. The resin filling chamber 32 is filled with a predetermined amount of ion exchange resin 31 . Therefore, if the downstream buffer space 33 has a size (internal volume) that can generate adjusted regenerated water containing salt in an amount equal to or more than the amount filled in the downstream buffer space 33, the ion exchange resin 31 can be regenerated in just the right amount. .

The drainage from the hardness component remover 3 is designed to be performed at a lower speed than the injection of saturated reclaimed water into the hardness component remover 3.

By doing so, it is possible to sufficiently mix the remaining soft water and the injected saturated reclaimed water in the downstream buffer space 33. Thereby, the entire adjusted regenerated water generated in the downstream buffer space 33 can be passed through the resin filling chamber 32 with a relatively homogeneous salt concentration of about 10%.

As tap water softens, the ion exchange resin 31 inside the resin filling chamber 32 loses its water softening ability from the ion exchange resin 31 located upstream to the ion exchange resin 31 located downstream. go. That is, in order to make maximum use of the water softening ability, it is desirable that the water flow flowing through the resin filling chamber 32 be a laminar flow, and for this purpose, it is desirable that the inside of the resin filling chamber 32 have a columnar shape. Furthermore, for the same reason, the connecting surface between the resin filling chamber 32 and the upstream buffer space 34 or the downstream buffer space 33 is also the same in cross-sectional shape as the resin filling chamber 32 (cross section in a plane perpendicular to the water flow direction). It is desirable that

By providing this connection surface, the adjusted regeneration water flowing from the downstream buffer space 33 to the resin filling chamber 32 also becomes a laminar flow, and the ion exchange resin 31 is efficiently regenerated. In addition, since the time for mixing the remaining soft water and the saturated recycled water in the downstream buffer space 33 is short, the generation of adjusted recycled water in the downstream buffer space 33 is an optimal configuration that can perform efficient regeneration with a simple configuration. It can be said.

The amount of saturated regenerated water for one regeneration process is small because of its high concentration (for example, about 60 ml, see "washing machine 50" described later). Therefore, the saturated reclaimed water can be injected into the downstream buffer space 33 in a short time (about 2 to 3 seconds) even if it flows down by gravity.

On the other hand, the drainage from the hardness component remover 3 also flows down due to gravity. However, the speed becomes slow due to the resistance of the ion exchange resin 31 and the mesh 35 that partitions the resin filling chamber 32. Compared to the water injection speed, the drainage speed is overwhelmingly slow. The entire amount of saturated reclaimed water can be injected while the water level of the remaining water in the downstream buffer space 33 is slightly lowered. These speed adjustments ensure an appropriate balance between water injection and drainage.

The cross-sectional area of the drainage path 7 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the reclaimed water path 6.

The ion exchange resin 31 is generally a small sphere with a diameter of less than 1 mm. Therefore, the upper and lower boundaries of the resin filling chamber 32 are constructed with a fine mesh 35 to prevent the ion exchange resin from flowing out. If the mesh is fine, the surface tension will be strong, which will affect drainage.

Therefore, in order to improve drainage performance, it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of the drainage path 7 is larger than that of the reclaimed water path 6. This is because the flow rate of the drainage water depends more on the interface between the resin filling chamber 32 and the upstream buffer space 34 than on the cross-sectional area of the drainage path 7.

After the recycled water is passed through the resin filling chamber 32, the recycled water containing Ca ions and Mg ions remains in the resin filling chamber 32 and the upstream buffer space 34 due to exchange with the ion exchange resin 31. When the regenerated water comes into contact with the ion exchange resin 31 again, the water softening performance of the regenerated ion exchange resin 31 deteriorates.

Therefore, by forming the cross-sectional area of the drainage path 7 to be larger than the cross-sectional area of the recycled water path 6, recycled water containing Ca ions and Mg ions can be prevented from stagnating from the resin filling chamber 32 and the upstream buffer space 34. Since it can be discharged quickly and efficiently, regeneration can be performed efficiently. In addition, as will be described later, by supplying water, reclaimed water containing Ca ions and Mg ions attached to the inner wall of the upstream buffer space 34 can also be discharged by the water flow in the path that is directly drained from the upstream buffer space 34. Regeneration can be performed efficiently.

The first on-off valve 9 is opened at a timing when the amount of water discharged from the hardness component remover 3 becomes the same amount as the saturated reclaimed water injected into the downstream buffer space 33.

At the start of the regeneration process, the downstream buffer space 33 is filled with soft water. Therefore, at the timing when the amount of drainage from the hardness component remover 3 becomes the same amount as the saturated reclaimed water injected into the downstream buffer space 33, the amount of saturated reclaimed water can be injected into the upper part of the downstream buffer space 33 without any problem. A corresponding space has been created.

As mentioned above, water injection is overwhelmingly faster than drainage. Therefore, if the first on-off valve 9 is opened at that timing, the entire amount of saturated reclaimed water is immediately injected. By mixing the saturated reclaimed water and the residual water, adjusted reclaimed water can be generated within the downstream buffer space 33 with a margin. That is, the downstream buffer space 33 can be reduced to the minimum necessary size.

Generally, spaces are provided above and below the resin filling chamber 32 of the hardness component remover 3 because the ion exchange resin 31 swells. By making the downstream buffer space 33 the minimum necessary size in this way, the existing space can be used as the downstream buffer space 33. Therefore, it can be realized at low cost.

(Specific example of operation)
A specific example of the operation of the water softening device 1 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2A shows a state during water softening treatment, which is the original function of the water softening device 1. FIG. 2(b) to FIG. 3(h) represent the process during the regeneration process.

As shown in FIG. 2A, during the water softening process, by opening the first water supply valve 13a, tap water flows into the hardness component remover 3 from the tap 100 due to the water pressure of the tap water. At this time, the first on-off valve 9, the second on-off valve 10, and the third on-off valve 11 are closed. The regenerant storage chamber 40 contains a regenerant (salt).

When the tap water passes through the resin filling chamber 32, the hardness components of the tap water are removed by the ion exchange resin 31, and the tap water becomes soft. Therefore, the tap water flowing downstream of the treated water path 5 after the downstream buffer space 33 is soft water. When the amount of water flowing through the hardness component remover 3 reaches a predetermined value or more, the adsorption performance of the ion exchange resin 31 decreases, making it impossible to appropriately soften tap water.

In such a case, the control device 12 executes a regeneration process for the ion exchange resin 31. By performing regeneration treatment, the ion exchange resin 31 recovers its adsorption performance and can be used repeatedly.

When the control device 12 starts the regeneration process, it opens the second water supply valve 13b and supplies tap water to the pool tank 2, as shown in FIG. 2(b). At this time, the first water supply valve 13a is closed. The hardness component remover 3 is filled with tap water (hard water and soft water).

Then, as shown in FIG. 2C, the third on-off valve 11 is opened for a predetermined period of time, and a predetermined amount of tap water is supplied to the regenerant storage chamber 40. Note that the water supply amount here is the amount required to generate saturated regenerated water necessary for the regeneration process, and is set in advance according to the filling amount of the ion exchange resin 31. The amount of water stored in the pool tank 2 and the amount of water supplied are made equal. Therefore, the opening time of the third on-off valve 11 may be set so that the water accumulated in the pool tank 2 can be sufficiently drained.

Then, after a period of about several minutes, saturated regenerated water (salt water with a saturated concentration) is generated in the regenerant storage chamber 40. After that, the concentration of saturated reclaimed water is maintained. Therefore, since this process only needs to be completed before the recycling process, it can be performed during the washing process. In this way, the regeneration process can be performed efficiently.

After doing so, the control device 12 starts specific reproduction processing. Once the specific regeneration process is started, water for washing cannot be supplied until it is finished, so it is preferable to perform it separately from the washing process. As shown in FIG. 2(d), the control device 12 opens the second on-off valve 10 and starts draining water from the hardness component remover 3.

As described above, although the drainage speed is slow, the water is quickly drained through the drainage path 7 into the drain pipe 56b without any stagnation. Accordingly, a space is formed above the downstream buffer space 33, and the space becomes larger. When the amount of drained water reaches the amount of saturated regenerated water to be injected, the control device 12 opens the first on-off valve 9.

Thereby, as shown in FIG. 3(e), saturated regenerated water is injected into the downstream buffer space 33. As described above, the entire amount of saturated reclaimed water can be injected in a short time. In the downstream buffer space 33, the saturated recycled water is vigorously injected into the remaining soft water, so that it is effectively mixed and the concentration becomes uniform.

Even while draining water, adjusted reclaimed water whose salt concentration is adjusted to about 10% is generated in the downstream buffer space 33. After that, as shown in FIG. 3(f), the generated adjusted regenerated water is slowly passed into the resin filling chamber 32. Thereby, the ion exchange resin 31 is regenerated.

Then, after a predetermined period of time or more has elapsed, drainage is completed and the inside of the hardness component remover 3 becomes empty. The inside of the regenerating agent storage chamber 40 also becomes empty. The control device 12 then cleans the ion exchange resin 31.

As shown in FIG. 3(g), the first on-off valve 9 is closed (the second on-off valve 10 is kept open) and the first water supply valve 13a is opened for a predetermined period of time, so that the downstream buffer space 33 is Tap water is supplied to the hardness component remover 3 until the water is stored. That is, by supplying water while draining water, the inside of the hardness component remover 3 is rinsed and purified.

Then, when the water is completely drained, the control device 12 closes the second on-off valve 10. Thereby, the playback process ends. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 2(a), by opening the first water supply valve 13a as necessary, appropriately softened tap water can be supplied.

<Washing machine>
4 to 9 show specific application examples of the water softening device 1 to which the disclosed technology is applied. FIG. 4 is an external view of a washing machine 50 to which the water softening device 1 is applied. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along arrow line AA in FIG. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure. FIG. 7 is an external view of the hardness component remover 3. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the hardness component remover 3. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the washing machine 50.

The water softening device 1 is installed inside a housing 51. The configuration of the water softening device 1 is approximately the same as the water softening device 1 described above. For the same members, the description thereof will be omitted or simplified by using the same names and symbols.

As shown in FIG. 4, this washing machine 50 includes a box-shaped casing 51, and an input port 51a is provided on the front surface of the casing 51 (drum-type washing machine). A door that swings open and close is attached to the input port 51a, but the door is not shown. At the upper front surface of the housing 51, an operation panel 51b operated by a user and a chemical input section 51c for inputting detergent and regenerating agent are provided side by side.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the housing 51 houses a bottomed cylindrical tab 52 that can store water. The tab 52 is placed horizontally with its opening facing the input port 51a. The tab 52 accommodates a rotatable bottomed cylindrical drum 53 (simply shown with a phantom line). The drum 53 is arranged coaxially with the tab 52, with the inside communicating with the input port 51a.

The drum 53 is connected via a shaft 54 to a drive mechanism 55 provided at the rear of the housing 51. The drum 53 is rotated by the drive mechanism 55 thereof. A drainage mechanism 56 that drains water using a drainage pump 56a is provided on the right side of the lower part of the housing 51. The drainage mechanism 56 drains water accumulated in the tub 52 through a drainage pipe 56b communicating with the front lower part of the tub 52.

As shown in FIG. 6, the medicine input section 51c includes a detergent supply case 57, a regenerant input port 58, and the like. The detergent supply case 57 includes a tray-shaped detergent storage container (not shown) for storing detergent, a slide case 57a that stores the detergent storage container in a drawable state, and a tub 52 for discharging water in the slide case 57a. It has a washing water downstream pipe 57b for flowing down.

A water supply plate 57c for supplying water to the detergent storage container is installed on the top of the slide case 57a. By supplying water to the water supply plate 57c, the water is sent to the detergent storage container. Thereby, the detergent and water are mixed in the detergent storage container. The mixed water is supplied to the tub 52 through the washing water downstream pipe 57b.

As also shown in FIG. 9, the regenerant inlet 58 is provided at the front end of the detergent supply case 57. The regenerating agent input port 58 is provided with a swinging type input guide 58a that also serves as a lid. By pulling out the upper part of the input guide 58a, the regenerant input port 58 opens.

(Water softener 1)
As shown in FIG. 6, the saturated reclaimed water generation container 4 is arranged below the drug input section 51c. Specifically, the saturated recycled water container is located at the front left corner of the housing 51, and is arranged along the edge of the input port 51a. The saturated regenerated water generation container 4 has a substantially triangular shape corresponding to its location, and is provided with a regenerant storage chamber 40 that narrows downward.

When the detergent storage container is housed in the slide case 57a, the upper part of the saturated recycled water generation container 4 and the regenerant inlet 58 are configured to communicate with each other. As a result, when the regenerant is introduced from the regenerant inlet 58, it is stored in the lower part of the regenerant storage chamber 40.

As shown in FIG. 9, a small window 15 is provided at the edge of the input port 51a of the casing 51 adjacent to the saturated recycled water generation container 4. Through this small window 15, the inside of the saturated recycled water generation container 4 can be visually recognized. The user can judge the remaining amount of regenerant in the regenerant storage chamber 40 through this small window 15.

The pool tank 2 is arranged on the right side of the detergent supply case 57. Specifically, it is disposed at an intermediate portion in the left-right direction of the upper end portion of the front portion of the housing 51.

The hardness component remover 3 is disposed at the lower end of the front left corner of the housing 51. Thereby, the saturated reclaimed water generation container 4 is located above the hardness component remover 3, and the pool tank 2 is located above the saturated reclaimed water production container 4.

The hardness component remover 3 is connected to the drain pipe 56b via a drain hose 60 (drain route 7). The hardness component remover 3 is also connected to the saturated recycled water generation container 4 via a recycled water hose 61 (regenerated water path 6).

The hardness component remover 3 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The hardness component remover 3 has a case 30 that is integrally formed by resin molding. Specifically, the case 30 includes a cylindrical intermediate member 30a that constitutes the resin filling chamber 32, and a cup-shaped upper member 30b and lower member 30c that close the upper and lower openings of the intermediate member 30a.

Mesh 35 covering the water passage is attached to the upper and lower openings of the intermediate member 30a. The mesh 35 has an opening (for example, 100 μm) that prevents particles of the ion exchange resin 31 from leaking, and is set in consideration of the drainage speed. The resin filling chamber 32 is tightly filled with ion exchange resin 31 (134 ml in this hardness component remover 3) through a resin insertion port (not shown).

A downstream buffer space 33 is formed inside the upper member 30b, and an upstream buffer space 34 is formed inside the lower member 30c. The lower member 30c is provided with a drain port 36 to which the drain hose 60 is connected, and a water intake port 37 to which an upstream portion of a treated water hose 63 (described later) is connected. A second on-off valve 10 is assembled to the drain port 36.

The upper member 30b is provided with an inlet 38 to which the reclaimed water hose 61 is connected, and a water outlet 39 to which the downstream portion of the treated water hose 63 is connected. A first on-off valve 9 is assembled to the inlet 38 .

(Water supply route)
As shown in FIG. 6, a water supply pipe 62 is provided inside the housing 51 to supply water to the tub 52. The water supply valve 13 (first water supply valve 13a and second water supply valve 13b) is installed on the left rear side of the upper part of the housing 51.

The water supply valve 13 is connected to an external water pipe. Thereby, tap water can always be supplied to the washing machine 50 via the water supply valve 13. A treated water hose 63 constituting the treated water path 5 is connected to the first water supply valve 13a. An untreated water hose 64 constituting the untreated water path 14 is connected to the second water supply valve 13b.

The untreated water hose 64 is connected to the top of the tub 52 via the pool tank 2. Therefore, when the second water supply valve 13b is opened, tap water is supplied to the pool tank 2 and the tub 52.

An upstream portion 63a of the treated water hose 63 is connected to the hardness component remover 3. A downstream portion 63b of the treated water hose 63 is connected to the water supply plate 57c. Therefore, when the first water supply valve 13a is opened, softened tap water is supplied to the tub 52 via the hardness component remover 3 and the detergent supply case 57.

Thereby, this washing machine 50 can selectively use soft water and hard water. For example, in laundry processing using detergent, the cleaning effect can be improved by using soft water. In the rinsing process, the frequency of regeneration of the ion exchange resin 31 can be reduced by using hard water.

(Replenishment of regenerant)
The regenerant is a consumable item. When there is no regenerating agent stored in the regenerating agent storage chamber 40, or when the remaining amount is low, it is necessary to replenish the regenerating agent in order to perform the regenerating process.

According to the investigation by the present inventors, there is a difference in the regeneration level of the ion exchange resin 31 immediately after replenishing the regenerant (first time of regeneration treatment after replenishment) and after that (second time of regeneration treatment and thereafter). It has been found.

FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the regeneration level of the ion exchange resin 31 and the number of regenerations after replenishment of the regenerant. The regeneration limit line represents the lower limit of the allowable regeneration level. From the second time onward, a good reproduction level is stably obtained, but only at the first time, the reproduction level is far below the reproduction limit line.

When the cause of this was investigated, it was found that the amount of saturated regenerated water injected into the downstream buffer space 33 was small the first time.

The regenerant is in granular form as described above. However, when the regenerant is submerged in water during the regeneration process, each grain solidifies into a lump. As a result, the surface area of the regenerating agent differs between the first and second and subsequent regeneration treatments. As a result, in the first regeneration process, the amount of saturated regenerated water trapped between the particles of the regenerant increases, and the amount of saturated regenerated water flowing down from the saturated regenerated water generation container 4 decreases.

Therefore, in this washing machine 50, the control of the regeneration process is devised so as to suppress a decrease in the regeneration level immediately after replenishment of the regenerant. That is, when the regenerant is introduced into the regenerant storage chamber 40 to generate saturated regenerated water for the first time, the control device 12 performs control (water supply) to increase the amount of water supplied to the regenerant storage chamber 40 compared to when saturated regeneration water is generated after that. (increase control).

(Example of control of playback process)
FIG. 11 illustrates a flowchart for controlling the playback process. In this regeneration process, saturated regenerated water is generated twice by water supply increase control in order to increase the amount of water stored in the regenerant storage chamber 40 during the regeneration process performed immediately after replenishment of the regenerant. This suppresses a decrease in the reproduction level.

When the control device 12 starts the regeneration process, it determines whether or not the regenerant has been replenished before the regeneration process performed this time (step S1). In the case of this washing machine 50, it is determined whether or not the regenerant storage chamber 40 has been replenished with the regenerant, based on the user's input. That is, as described above, the user determines the remaining amount of regenerant in the regenerant storage chamber 40 through the small window 15, and replenishes the regenerant if necessary.

The operation panel 51b is configured to display buttons to be operated when replenishing the regenerant (replenishment operation button). When the regenerating agent is replenished, the user operates the replenishment input button, and a predetermined signal is input from the operation panel 51b to the control device 12. The control device 12 determines whether or not the regenerant is to be replenished, depending on whether or not the signal has been input.

When determining that the regenerating agent has not been replenished, the control device 12 executes normal regeneration processing. That is, the control device 12 generates saturated recycled water by supplying water once from the pool tank 2 to the saturated recycled water generation container 4 (step S2). Since the saturated reclaimed water has a high concentration (approximately 25%), the amount produced is small (65 ml in the case of this washing machine 50). Then, the control device 12 starts draining water from the hardness component remover 3 (step S3). Subsequently, the control device 12 injects saturated regenerated water (step S4).

Thereby, adjusted regenerated water, that is, salt water with a concentration of about 10%, is generated, and by passing the salt water into the resin filling chamber 32, the ion exchange resin 31 is regenerated. When a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of injection of saturated reclaimed water (Yes in step S5), the control device 12 supplies water to the hardness component remover 3 to perform cleaning (step S6). When the cleaning is finished, the control device 12 stops draining water from the hardness component remover 3, and the regeneration process ends (step S7).

On the other hand, if it is determined that the regenerant has been replenished (No in step S1), the control device 12 supplies water from the pool tank 2 to the saturated reclaimed water generation container 4 twice so that the amount of saturated reclaimed water is increased (water supply increase control). That is, step S8, which is the same as step S2, is repeatedly executed twice (step S9).

After the amount of saturated reclaimed water is increased, the control device 12 performs the same processing as usual. That is, steps S3 to S7 are executed.

Note that the disclosed technology is not limited to the embodiments described above, and includes various other configurations.

For example, a water softening device to which the disclosed technology is applied can be used not only for washing machines but also for dishwashers.

In the embodiment, an example has been shown in which the directions of water flow in the water softening treatment and the regeneration treatment to the hardness component remover 3 are reversed (countercurrent), but they may be in the same direction (cocurrent flow).

In the embodiment, the pool tank 2 is provided in a flow path through which tap water flows, but it may be provided in a flow path through which soft water flows, specifically, in a downstream portion of the treated water path 5.

The first on-off valve 9 may be changed to a three-way switching valve, and the regeneration water supply path may be connected thereto. In this way, the third on-off valve 11 can be omitted.

In the water supply increase control of the embodiment, whether or not to replenish the regenerating agent is determined based on the user's input, but the determination may be made automatically. That is, a sensor for detecting the amount of regenerant contained in the regenerant storage chamber 40 is attached. Based on the signal input from the sensor, the control device 12 determines whether the regenerant storage chamber 40 has been replenished with the regenerant.

In this case, although the component cost increases, the replenishment timing of the regenerating agent can be automatically determined, so it is highly convenient.

In the embodiment, buffer spaces divided above and below the resin filling chamber were used, but if the hardness component remover does not have these, members equivalent to these may be installed above and below the hardness component remover, separately from the hardness component remover. May be placed.

1 Water softening device 2 Pool tank 3 Hardness component remover 4 Saturated recycled water generation container 5 Treated water path 6 Regenerated water path 7 Drainage path 8 Regeneration water supply path 9 First on-off valve 10 Second on-off valve 11 Third on-off valve 12 Control device 13 Water supply valve 13a First water supply valve 13b Second water supply valve 14 Untreated water path 15 Small window 30 Case 31 Ion exchange resin 32 Resin filling chamber 33 Downstream buffer space 34 Upstream buffer space 35 Mesh 40 Regenerant storage chamber 41 Regeneration Agent 50 Washing machine 51 Case 51a Inlet 51b Operation panel 51c Agent inlet 52 Tab 53 Drum 54 Shaft 55 Drive mechanism 56 Drainage mechanism 57 Detergent supply case 58 Regenerant inlet 100 Water tap

Claims (12)

A water softening device that softens hard water supplied from a water supply source and supplies it to a predetermined water supply destination,
a hardness component remover disposed in a treated water path between the water supply source and the water supply destination and containing an ion exchange resin;
a saturated recycled water generation container that is connected to the hardness component remover via a recycled water path and that generates saturated recycled water in which a predetermined regenerant is dissolved at a saturated concentration;
a first on-off valve provided in the reclaimed water path;
a second on-off valve provided in a drainage path that drains water from the hardness component remover;
a control device that executes a regeneration process to regenerate the ion exchange resin;
Equipped with
The hardness component remover is
a resin filling chamber filled with the ion exchange resin;
a downstream buffer space communicating with both the downstream side of the treated water route and the reclaimed water route;
an upstream buffer space communicating with both the upstream side of the treated water route and the drainage route;
has
When executing the regeneration process, the control device opens the second on-off valve to start draining water from the hardness component remover, and when a predetermined amount of water remains in the downstream buffer space, By opening the first opening/closing valve, a predetermined amount of the saturated reclaimed water is injected from the saturated reclaimed water generation container into the downstream buffer space, and the mixed water of the saturated reclaimed water and residual water generated thereby is transferred to the resin filling A water softening device that allows water to flow into the room. The water softening device according to claim 1,
The regenerant is sodium chloride,
The mixed water generated in the downstream buffer space is adjusted so that the concentration of the sodium chloride it contains is 10%,
The water softening device, wherein the downstream buffer space is formed in a size capable of producing the mixed water containing the sodium chloride in an amount greater than or equal to the amount required for regenerating the ion exchange resin. The water softening device according to claim 1,
The water softening device is designed such that drainage from the hardness component remover is performed at a slower rate than injection of the saturated reclaimed water into the hardness component remover. The water softening device according to claim 3,
The water softening device wherein the first on-off valve is opened at a timing when the amount of drainage from the hardness component remover becomes the same amount as the saturated reclaimed water injected into the downstream buffer space. The water softening device according to claim 1,
A water softening device, wherein a cross-sectional area of the drainage path is larger than a cross-sectional area of the reclaimed water path. A washing machine,
A housing provided with an input port;
a water-storable tub housed in the housing;
a rotatable drum housed in the tub with an interior communicating with the input port;
a water supply path provided inside the housing for supplying water to the tub;
a detergent supply case that is installed in the water supply path, houses detergent, and mixes the detergent with water when supplying water and supplies the mixture to the tub;
A water softening device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Equipped with
A washing machine, wherein the hardness component remover is installed at a location upstream of the detergent supply case in the water supply path. The washing machine according to claim 6,
The saturated recycled water generation container has a regenerant storage chamber that accommodates the regenerant,
A washing machine that generates the saturated recycled water by supplying water to the regenerating agent storage chamber containing the regenerating agent during execution of a washing process. The washing machine according to claim 7,
The water softening device includes:
A pool tank that can store water,
a regeneration water supply route that supplies water from the pool tank to the regenerant storage chamber;
a third on-off valve provided in the regeneration water supply route;
further comprising;
The saturated recycled water generation container is located above the hardness component remover, and the pool tank is installed inside the casing with the pool tank located above the saturated recycled water generation container. The washing machine according to claim 7,
The control device performs water supply increase control to increase the amount of water supplied to the regenerant storage chamber when the regenerant is replenished into the regenerant storage chamber and the saturated regeneration water is generated for the first time, compared to when the saturated regeneration water is generated thereafter. Run, washing machine. The washing machine according to claim 9,
A small window is provided in the housing,
A washing machine, wherein the inside of the saturated recycled water generation container is visible through the small window. The washing machine according to claim 10,
The washing machine, wherein the control device determines whether the regenerant storage chamber is replenished with the regenerant, based on a user's input. The washing machine according to claim 9,
The water softening device further includes a sensor that detects the amount of the regenerant contained in the regenerant storage chamber,
The washing machine, wherein the control device determines whether the regenerant storage chamber is replenished with the regenerant, based on a signal input from the sensor.